Youth Cup Defeat McGoldrick's Biggest Disappointment
Wednesday, 16th Jan 2013 06:00

New boy David McGoldrick has recalled one of the biggest disappointments of his career — when he was in the Southampton team beaten by Ipswich in the 2005 FA Youth Cup final.

The teams drew 2-2 on the south coast, with McGoldrick on target from the penalty spot for the young Saints, but Ed Upson’s extra-time goal in the return leg was enough to bring the trophy to Portman Road for the third time in the club’s history.

McGoldrick, 25, said: “In the second leg we didn’t really turn up. There was a great atmosphere, to be fair, but we were poor on the night and Ipswich deserved to win.

“There are a lot of the players from that Southampton team now playing first team football in the Premiership, Championship and elsewhere.

“Theo Walcott was in the team and Gareth Bale was on the bench. Adam Lallana, who is now the Southampton captain, was also a substitute. Nathan Dyer is at Swansea, Martin Cranie at Barnsley and Lloyd James at Leyton Orient.

“Leon Best was also in the team. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was at the club — he trained with us but was a bit younger — and look at him now. It was a great experience.

“Southampton had a great academy and they still do when you see the players they are producing down there. Theo and Gareth were a bit special when you saw what they could do in training.

“They had tremendous athleticism, that was the big difference to everyone else, and they have gone on to achieve big things.”

McGoldrick celebrates netting from the spot in the FA Youth Cup final first leg at St Mary’s

McGoldrick has not given up hope of rubbing shoulders again with the likes of Walcott, Bale, Lallana and Dyer, all of whom are top-flight regulars these days.

He said: “You never know what can happen in football. You even see players coming from non-league straight into the Premier League so you never know what the future holds.

“I’m only 25 so I’ve certainly not given up hope of playing in the Premiership. It would be nice to play against them for Ipswich but at the moment I just want to help the club get up the table and away from the threat of relegation.”

Photo: Action Images

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WhoisJimmyJuan added 07:16 - Jan 16 Seems such a long time ago now that FA Youth Cup win. To think they had Walcott and Bale as well! Shows what an achievement it was. Just wish we could start to produce a few players of that calibre as well these days. Last who really came close was Connor Wickham, and even he is stuttering a bit.
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arc added 08:45 - Jan 16 There have been so many disappointments for us as Town fans in the last decade, but the fact that we really got nothing out of that youth team must be one of the largest. Players like Supple, Trotter and Garvan should have been the backbone of our club for years.
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Chris_ITFC added 09:21 - Jan 16

Ipswich Town (4-5-1): Supple, Krause, Collins, Casement, Synnott; Craig,

Lordan (Hammond 82), Trotter (Upson 105), Moore, Haynes (Sheringham 71);

Knights.

Subs not used: Reynolds, Ainsley

The 15 from that night - Trotter the only one to go onto bigger and better things from the looks of it, Haynes will always have a place in our hearts as a budgie beater, and Ainslie looks set to be the last to depart.

Hacaman added 10:02 - Jan 16 It was Stuart Ainsley, Jack's older brother was on the bench
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jdtractor96 added 10:34 - Jan 16 The youth we have in this current era is enough to get us into the premier league and beyond! Smith, Cresswell, Hewitt, Hyam, Nouble and even JET can stay here for years and make us huge! I'm so excited for the future of our club!!
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Garv added 10:35 - Jan 16 The amount of talent Southampton have produced is quite incredible. Bale, Walcott, Chamberlain, Crouch I believe, Dyer, Lallana. Any more?
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Cakeman added 11:08 - Jan 16 I would like to have seen Chris Casement given more time. Thought he had much potential, not sure where he is these days?
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brendanh added 12:15 - Jan 16

The stark contrast in fortunes of the respective FA Youth Cup finalists is a damning indictment on ITFC management and governance since 2005. When Evans arrived in 2007 he jettisoned the Ipswich tradition of developing from within. Magilton was building a good home-grown team, which won every home game in the first half of 2007/8. It was the last time we've looked a promotion-capable side. Evans arrived in early 2008 and we've languished ever since. Here's hoping he's finally learnt his lesson, but the damage he did over 5 years won't easily be forgotten.